To the honorable Antinon Scalia, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States:
Although you may think that having fewer minorities on a college's campus wouldn't be detrimental to that university's community, that African Americans will perform better at, "slower-track" schools and that policies like affirmative action send African Americans to schools where they don't perform well.
I just want you to know that you're wrong and I want you to know that you shouldn't worry about myself or any other African Americans on an academically, regularly-paced college campus because you have underestimated our potential.
You have underestimated our resilience, our determination, our fight to achieve what is rightfully ours -- ultimately you've underestimated our black excellence.
You must have forgotten about the generations of African Americans that fought for the right for people that look like me to attend universities with people that look like you and you are absurd if you think that I will take their fight and their sacrifices for granted.
You have forgotten about the African Americans who had the courage to challenge political systems in their fight for education like Donald G. Murray who became the University of Maryland Law School's first black graduate and George W. McLaurin who challenged the University of Oklahoma to get an advanced education degree despite still being segregated within the classroom with his white classmates.
You've forgotten about the bravery of women like Cynthia P. Roddey, Delores Johnson Hurt, Arnetta Gladden and Sue Frances Meriwether Steed who integrated a college campus despite various instances in South Carolina's history that displayed violent, racist behavior.
The bravery and determination of these men and women that paved the way before me have given me a chance to further my education and I refuse to let your statements be true.
While your statements stung me for a little and I was shocked that those words could be uttered by a justice of the Supreme Court of the United States that shock and disgust then fueled me to work harder and I'm sure that this is the case for many black students around the country.
Justice Scalia, I'm currently enrolled at a university where I'm not on a slower track and I'm thriving. I'm thriving because I was given the chance to attend college alongside many of the black students like me and before me and I'm doing damn good for myself.
Unapologetically,
A black student thriving on a college campus.
